WALLS TOKYO is proud to present our first-ever solo exhibition by Jun Ogata. The exhibition, titled "Coral Garden", features paintings arranged throughout the gallery like stones in a garden. The colors are inspired by Japanese gardens, which change with the seasons and passage of time—expressing the handing down of colors from ancient times.
 Changing over a long period of time, the colors and gradations of nature can be unbelievably vivid. Unlike artificial colors, these vivid colors appear as if they are rising from below, transitory colors caught in the cycle of life and death; the glow of life that disappears the moment it is noticed. 
Ogata’s keen sensitivity to color was perhaps acquired during his process of restoration, stripping away the surface to seek out the true colors. Rather than creating a flat piece where each detail has been controlled, Ogata seeks to create a painting that reflects the tension and tranquility of the Japanese garden, “just as the flowing water, soil, and air have no form, the work should also not be constricted. I seek to create a painting that resembles a brilliant natural landscape, ‘beautiful as it is’.” Considered one of the seven treasures of buddhism, Ogata’s coral artwork is the centerpiece—while expressing stone work and waterfalls in a variety of colors such as red, purple, deep blue, mossy green, and white. With its various colors, arrangement of layers, and diverse paintings, we hope you will enjoy this exhibition.